Autumn Air
by lovelielove
Summary: 2nd of Seasons Series. Follows Summer Heat. Welcome to the first annual Weasley-style Bonfire Night. Romance is in the air, but beware the burning effigies, Weasley's Wizarding Fireworks, and drunken, bonfire jumping men. Explosions and outdoor smut? Yes.
1. Chapter 1

AN: AU! Thank you so much to my first reviewers ever! You're all lovely! I felt warm inside all day from your kind words ^_^ Thank you, also, Wikipedia for providing a few historical facts. Takes place 2 years or so after Moldy Voldy's demise and a few months after Summer Heat. Not mine. Don't sue.

Autumn Air - Part 1

Hermione sat beside Severus on a large, smooth log beside a now dwindling fire. Scorch marks marred the empty picnic tables and grassy field around them, but the stars in the wide expanse of sky above were shining bright and clear. She leaned her head against his sturdy shoulder and as he gathered her closer, Hermione thought that she had never been happier.

It had all started with a vague reference by one, Arthur Weasley, to the Hogwarts Headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, one evening at Order Headquarters in hearing of all of Mr. Weasley's children. Being curious, the Weasley offspring, talked a bit about it amongst themselves, but none knew what Mr. Weasley meant by it. "Oi, Hermione," Ron called across the overloaded dining table at the Burrow. "What is Guy Fawkes Night? Dumbledore was saying it that it was in a few days and we might like to observe it. My dad said it's 'a fitting muggle celebration for our family and friends.' What do you reckon he means by that? Is it like Christmas?" Arthur Weasley was, at the moment, late in coming home in time for dinner from the Ministry of Magic and was thus unable to answer the questions that had been bandied about during supper.

"Hm. Well," Hermione set her dessert spoon down beside her empty chocolate ice cream bowl as every red head at the table and one scruffy black head turned toward her, "Guy Fawkes Night is a holiday created to celebrate the survival of a king after a nearly carried out assassination attempt. The conspirators, including Guy Fawkes, sought to replace the Protestant king, James I, with a Catholic monarch by igniting barrels of gunpowder beneath Parliament. The plot was nearly executed when the Guy Fawkes was caught and arrested. Many people celebrated by lighting bonfires around London. The date even became an official public day of thanks for the plot's defeat. Eventually the holiday was connected with other things and effigies of Guy Fawkes and other hated figures were burnt. But essentially, it was a holiday to celebrate the failed attempt of conspirators to overtake the country by way of killing the king and other important men they thought beneath unworthy and replacing them with a government that conformed more to their beliefs."

Many pairs of eyes blinked at her. She rolled her own and sighed, smiling. "If you did a bit of light research you'd see that Guy Fawkes Night is also called Bonfire Night and, nowadays, people celebrate with bonfires, fireworks, and drinking. Plus you can burn a straw effigy of Voldemort if you like."

Loud whoops and laughter filled the room. Phrases like, "That's bloody brilliant!" and "Need to start planning now!" were shouted across the table. Hermione saw Ginny and Molly, shaking their heads and ruefully smiling. She heard Molly mutter, "Better restock on burn potions, then," as she walked past with a platter of cauldron cakes in her hands.

Thus, to Arthur's delight, began the planning of the first annual Weasley-style Bonfire Night. A lovely, flat field two hills away from the Burrow was unanimously designated the site of the much anticipated bonfire. The invitations, written by Arthur, were sent out by Halloween to at least 50 people, including much of the Hogwarts staff, the Weasley's old school friends, and other wizarding family neighbors, including the Lovegoods. All of the Weasleys, Harry and Hermione requested leave from their various careers, apprenticeships, and quidditch contracs to help set up. Hermione and Harry put up the anti-muggle charms the day before while Ginny and Molly cooked up a feast in the kitchen. George and Fred were, naturally, placed in charge of all pyrotechnics, Ron, the wood gathering and straw effigies. Percy volunteered to acquire all liquid refreshments while Charlie was to stir up his own batch of dragon-strength burn potion. Bill and Fleur were to help provide seating and eating surfaces, seeing as how the now very pregnant Fleur would be the most in need of a comfortable chair throughout the night.

Guests began to arrive at sundown, a pathway of single torches, set a fair distance apart from each other, led them from the Burrow to the site. A groaning buffet table, also surrounded by torches, was the first thing partygoers saw as they entered the field. Next to it sat another table loaded with bottles and punch bowls surrounded by neat rows of the best quality refill-charmed glasses ala Percy. Near the two refreshment tables, picnic tables and benches covered in lovely, light blue table cloths were set for relaxing. One large, smooth log was provided to sit near the fire. The bonfire was just being lit 'the muggle way' (which was, for some reason, a flint and rock) by the twins and Ron, and all men in the vicinity flocked toward the teepee like wooden structure like children to candy. Much manly grunting and good natured ribbings were traded when the promised flames did not appear. Hermione tossed them a barbecue lighter she'd brought for just such an instance and the men roared and clapped with accomplishment when the click of the lighter produced a spark that actually caught the wood.

Merrymakers were dressed casually in warm muggle clothing or warm casual robes in deference to the cool autumn air. Hermione had opted for denim jeans, her softest, olive green jumper, her favorite pair of knee high, black leather boots, and one of the many scarves she owned that had been knitted lovingly by Molly. Most of the younger half of the crowd were dressed similarly, while the older generation looked just as comfortable in their well worn robes.

Nearly everyone had arrived by the time the sun was completely down and Ginny turned on their portable Wizarding Wireless and put an amplifying charm on it with a flick of her wand. The Weird Sister's new hit was booming and people began dancing around the fire. Hermione, Luna, Ron, Ginny, Harry, Draco, Gred, Forge, Angelina, Percy, Penny, Blaise, Charlie, Lee, Seamus, Dean, Parvati, Padma, Cho, and handful more Hogwarts mates began dancing beside the fire like it was a live concert. Soon, as the more alcoholic drinks were consumed, they began jumping wildly round the flames like some kind of ancient ritual. Little Teddy sat in Andromeda's lap as a giggling Tonks pulled a half-heartedly protesting Lupin into the circle. Even Bill and Fleur had a go, two pairs of feet, one set large, the other slightly swollen, moving swiftly to the heavy bass. Most of the older generation were drinking heartily as well, but were exchanging raunchy stories or gambling with cards and sickles at the picnic tables instead, their uproarious laughter filling the air. Molly's delicious food was decidedly the hit of the party, as per usual, and she spied with satisfaction very many happy, rounded bellies sitting around her.

The invited Hogwarts staff were the last to arrive. Minerva, Filius, Pomona, Rolanda, Albus, and Severus walked up the torchlit path. Dumbledore and Snape stopped near the last torch while the others made their way toward the inviting picnic tables and drinks. Taking in the sight of the dancing, laughing, merry making people who had suffered so much in the wars past, Albus had to blink away the moisture that had suddenly filled his ancient blue eyes. He sucked in a deep satisfying breath of the chilly air and sighed. "Everything was worth it, wasn't it Severus? All the sacrifices, all the hardship?" he murmured, still watching the many people.

Snape's eyes, however, were riveted to only one person- a slight, curvy figure, silhouetted in the firelight, long curls bouncing around her laughing face as she danced - when he answered softly, "Yes. Yes, it was."

AN: AH! Wrote for 3 1/2 hours and I only get about 1400 words? Ugh. That's all I can write tonight. This part started out as a tiny idea that turned into something of a monster. Autumn will be split into 2 parts. Part 2 should have a bit of introspection and explanation as to how this world ended up so AU. Oh yah, and smut! After that - Winter and Spring! Tell me what you think and please review!


	2. Chapter 2

AN: I'm back and I've edited this part a bit. Seriously, how do I get someone to beta my work? Anyway, please review! I ADORE hearing what you think and if you'll come back for more or not. Thanks for those of you who have already reviewed ^_~ ENJOY!

Autumn Air 2

Albus Dumbledore laid a fatherly hand upon Severus's shoulder, patted him once, and walked toward the other professors by the buffet. Severus Snape stood near the edge of the field, watching Hermione and her friends behaving like young, carefree children and felt a bit of a pang at the reminder of their age difference. It was only a small part of what had kept him from her company all these past months. He turned away from the fire, stalked to a table and poured himself a large glass of firewhiskey, taking a fortifying gulp. But, even if he wanted to, he couldn't stop himself from moving a bit closer to the fire, sitting on the empty log to be closer to her.

Sitting even a decent distance from the burning mass of wood soon made Snape uncomfortably hot in his high collared, long sleeved robes. Such heat brought memories of the first time he'd kissed Hermione to the forefront. Before that day, Snape had never thought of Hermione in any other way besides a student or, eventually, a friend. He couldn't say what came over him in that overheated library. They sat and passed a carton of chocolate ice cream he'd pilfered from a secret location back and forth, sharing a spoon. When it seemed like their idyllic interlude was coming to an end, her sweet face held a look of such regret and longing, that he'd scooped a spoonful of their shared treat and placed it into her mouth. It had to be one of the most erotic moments of his life. In a short time, he was kissing her and she was kissing him back enthusiastically. Hermione had tasted like chocolate, cherries, and heat. He could have gone on kissing her forever if they hadn't been interrupted. After they broke apart and the moment had passed, she left him with a sweet thank you. In the months that followed he had wanted to talk to her about it, to kiss those lips again, to beg her to let him court her. All avenues of communication were open to Snape and he even saw her occasionally at the Burrow or the old Headquarters. However, his many years as a skilled potions master and teacher, as a man who could unblinkingly lie to the face of the most evil dark wizard of the ages, just couldn't find the right words. It hadn't been the only time he'd been at a loss for words when it came to the young woman.

Severus Snape had narrowly escaped death that night at Hogwarts, when the fate of their world hung in the balance. He'd played his role and was still bitten for all his troubles, literally. Others had fallen that long, painful night. Snape hadn't known it at the time but, when Voldemort collapsed, a shockwave, like that of an great explosion, rent the air just as that soulless body hit the ground, knocking Harry and the onlookers down, traveling through the castle walls and for miles outside. In a mysterious, powerful display of unknown magic, the shockwave passed over the bodies of the dead, the light and dark, and returned them to life. After the initial shock of victory and the realization that friends and family they thought lost were alive and in need of medical attention, the able bodied scattered trying to find help or assist others. Hermione, who had been helping a student's parents find their son, froze when she became conscious of the fact that there was a man, all alone, possibly alive and severely injured lying on the dusty floor of the Shrieking Shack. She had bolted from the Great Hall at full tilt, Harry and Ron just catching a glimpse of her bushy hair running out the door. They realized at once where she was headed and followed. She ran across the grounds and into the tunnel beneath the Whomping Willow. Scrambling to get her little beaded purse out of her jacket, Harry's words echoed in her head over and over again. "He was Dumbledore's man. Always was."

Harry and Ron arrived at the shack to the sight of a crying Hermione, bent double on her knees over the bloody, unconscious, barely breathing man. In her red stained, shaking hands was an empty bottle of dittany. Ron had to help the hysterical girl back to the castle as Harry floated the professor's body behind them.

The wounded and hexed trekked to St. Mungo's for treatment. They'd all healed eventually, Remus, Tonks, Snape, Fred, and all the others who nearly met their end on the castle grounds. Some people were frightened that the lives of their revived loved ones were on lease temporarily, but after a time, it became clear they were all to remain alive. Deatheaters were rounded up and sorted into groups of truly evil, imperiused, blackmailed, and all given fair trials. The side of the Light had to recover from severed limbs, gashes, cuts, and many a nasty hex, but were overjoyed that losses had been reduced so drastically and that life could go on, peacefully if not quietly.

For Severus Snape, untangling himself from the roles he'd played through the years was difficult after a lifetime of servitude and sacrifice. He had been discharged to Hogwarts from St. Mungo's a few months later where the Headmaster and staff and, surprisingly, Harry, Hermione, and the entire Weasley clan were waiting to welcome him. He'd snapped at the lot of them to leave him be, but seeing as how they were all there for the rebuilding had and an accelerated 7th year program, they were always around. He no longer had the excuse of being a spy to avoid people, so he gave in and quietly let them become part of his life. Though he still sometimes raged and snapped at others, and he still rarely smiled or laughed, Snape slowly became someone that others could like. Hell, even he liked himself. His fellow teachers respected and liked him. The students looked up to him. Dumbledore stopped offering candy to him. Arthur was kind and Molly brought him an unbelievable number of woolen socks. Ronald had provided the first challenging chess games he'd had in decades. To Snape's satisfaction Harry was feeling guilty for his thoughts and actions before the end of the war and had made up for it by offering to do all of Snape's grading for the duration of his stay. Snape accepted the apology and peace offering graciously. As for Hermione, she seemed to be everywhere in the castle. Just here and there - which, it just so happened, was everywhere Snape wanted to be. She gave him a rare, silent and comfortable companionship as someone to read with in the library or sneak treats with from the large kitchens. Snape had never thanked her for that night in the Shrieking Shack, though Harry and Ron had described it to him. When he tried to get the words out or put them to paper, it hadn't seemed enough. And here he was, still unable to say thank you and still unable to admit his interest in her.

Severus was pulled from his thoughts by a tap on his shoulder. "Hello Professor!" Ginevra Weasley was smiling down at him and suddenly settling herself a comfortable distance away on the otherwise empty log. "I'm glad you could make it tonight. It looks like this bonfire night is really going to make it as a yearly tradition, don't you think?" Ginny was a pleasant girl. Besides his year as headmaster, she had always been respectful. And since the final battle, she'd been unexpectedly kind and friendly.

"Yes, it seems as though everyone is thoroughly enjoying themselves," he remarked dryly, eyeing the drunken young men trying to jump over the bonfire, which was only now starting to burn a bit lower.

Ginny laughed. "Yah, I guess everyone is. Look at my mum and dad over there." She nodded to the picnic tables. Her parents were currently drunkenly snogging each other, quite unembarrassed, in front of their guests. She shuddered before she turned back round to scrutinize him. "Everyone, except you, I think."

He raised a sardonic brow in question .

"You've had only had one drink and most of it's still in your hands there," she gestured at the glass. With a knowing eye she continued, "And the look on your face tells me you've been thinking rather seriously upon our resident know-it-all." Snape started and blinked at her, but before he could say anything, Ginny interrupted. "No, you weren't obvious. I'd be disappointed if you were. It was that time at Headquarters that gave it away. I'm not as unobservant as Harry and Ron, you know. I _can_ put two and two together. Hermione hasn't talked to me about it, which leads me to think nothing's happened since. Am I right?"

He turned his stare back toward the fire and nodded silently, expecting some sort of recrimination.

Ginny took a deep breath in, then said matter of factly, "Well, Professor, you'd better get on with it then!"

Snape looked back to her. "Get on with it?"

"Of course, she's obviously been waiting on you since August. So, you'd best snatch her up before she_ gives_ up!" Then, Ginny was up and away to fetch more of that deliciously alcoholic punch for herself.

Snape sat silently for just a moment longer than Ginny and then stood as well, but made his way closer to the fire, leaving his half full glass on the empty log. He stalked over to Hermione who was laughing at something the Lovegood girl had just said. When Hermione glanced up and saw him standing so near and looking at her, her eyes lit up. She excused herself from her group, then skipped over to him, then stopped a foot or so before him she beaming. "Professor! You made it! Won't you have a dance with me?"

He took in the image of her at that moment and thought he'd never seen anything more beautiful. Hermione's hair was wild, her normally controlled curls were riotous in their splendor. She was smiling widely and her cheeks were flushed from frolicking all evening and at the pleasure of seeing him. _Him. _Severus Snape. He couldn't help but smile back. "Are you drunk, Hermione?"

She grinned and and squinted, as if trying to see the tiny space that represented her drunkenness between her raised thumb and forefinger, held a mere millimeter apart. "Just a tiny bit. But, you didn't answer my question, professor."

"I'd be much more inclined to do so if you returned to calling me by my given name," he declared.

Her eyes softened at this and she breathed his name. "Severus."

AN: OKAY OKAY. I lied. No smut yet. And it's not even close to being done. More than 2 parts for sure at least 3... possibly 4? Nah. Just 3 I think. And… I have the rest of the seasons all outlined in my head! (Winter at Hogwarts, Spring back a the field by the Burrow) I just need time in my real life to get it typed up. PLEASE PLEASE review and tell me what you think ^_^ Did you like it? Are they believable? What do YOU think should happen next? I already know, but it's fun to hear what your predictions are!


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Not mine, don't sue. Smut alert. Enjoy and review please!

Autumn Air 3

* * *

The Wizarding Wireless was playing an advertisement for new broom. Jumping the bonfire had been called to a halt in lieu of the Weasley men preparing the fireworks and effigies. Those who had been dancing were loitering around the fire and picnic tables scattered nearby in small groups, energy still high and chatting, waiting for the music to come up again. Nearest the glow of the fire, two smiling figures, a man and woman, were talking, their bodies mere inches apart.

"But, you didn't answer my question, professor," the woman smiled. The man looked amused.

The tinkling advertisement ended on the Wireless and announced it was going to play a classic song by a classic lady. Slow piano notes and a throaty, lilting voice began to wrap it's sensual tendrils of music across the field. Hermione heard a shriek, in the distance, Mrs. Weasley's, "Celestina! Let's dance Arthur!"

"I'd be much more inclined to do so if you returned to calling me by my given name," Snape declared.

Her eyes softened at this and she breathed his name. "Severus… Would dance with me please?"

Without a pause for thought and without saying a word, Severus stepped up to Hermione, closing the distance between them, and lifted an open hand for her to take. Hermione gloried in the feel of his arm around her and put one of her hands in his outstretched one. They began to sway gently together their feet shuffling just a little, in sync completely. There was no fancy footwork or dizzying circles round the bonfire, but Hermione's head was spinning pleasantly again in a similar fashion to the first time he'd kissed her. Although, she couldn't say whether it was the bit of spiked punch in her veins or the feel of him so near. While there were other couples dancing close by, including a dangerously listing Molly and Arthur, she couldn't tear her attention away from the man holding her. This was what she'd been waiting for. She hadn't dared make a move in the past interminable months, fearing any advance on her part might not be taken well. But, finally, finally he was here, holding her tightly and looking at her with black eyes that burned for her.

"I've missed you, you know," she softly admitted after a while, smiling ruefully. Ah, thank goodness for liquid courage. "There's no one to read with or eat desserts with when you're not around." Severus merely raised that mocking brow. "Alright, yes, there were people to eat desserts with, but nothing like…" she searched for the words. "Nothing like with you," she finished lamely.

He eased her body against his then, bending his dark head down until they were nearly cheek to cheek. "I'm glad," he murmured to her ear. She shut her eyes and breathed him in. He smelled something like fresh mown grass, new parchment, and a spicy and earthy something that had her turning her nose into his neck to get closer. They were still swaying, but only just, as their feet were touching and had ceased moving. Hermione was conscious of the hard planes of his body pressed lightly against everything soft of hers. Her body swelled to feel him skin to skin and she felt him take a shuddering breath. The gentle music was slowly fading away, so, taking what she thought might be a final opportunity, she raised her lips, just so, and pressed them to a point just beneath his jaw on his neck. She could feel his pulse jump and felt a sense of satisfaction. He wanted her, too. She knew it now.

When the song ended, a faster paced beat took over. The Hobgoblin's lead singer let out a battle cry that had the younger, drunker, partygoers howling and jumping back toward the open area around the bonfire. Some couples stayed to join the wild dancing while others headed back to the picnic tables or to get more drinks. In the transition, no one noticed as Severus took Hermione's hands and pressed a kiss into the palm of each, causing her to shudder deliciously. No one saw when he entwined the fingers of one of his hands with hers and led her away from the firelight, away from the picnic tables and torches, and toward a copse of bare trees some seventy yards from the carousing people.

The grass crunched beneath their feet as they made their way across the empty part of the field. The orange light of the fire began to fade away and the stars came out in their full glory, a small sliver of moon washing everything else in a soft blue. Severus was striding away in front of her turning back now and then to smile at her and grip her hand a bit more tightly. Happiness bubbled up within her and escaped as laughter. She began to run and was suddenly the one doing the leading. He started to run, too, letting his own laughter follow hers.

When they reached the first, naked tree, she leaned against the far side of it laughing breathlessly, her back facing the party. Severus was immediately upon her, hands cradling her face, then sweeping into the wild hair he was coming to adore. His mouth moved hungrily against hers and she pressed back, taking as much as she gave, all laughter forgotten. He let his hands sweep down the column of her neck, removing the scarf, past her shoulders, caressing the small of her waist, until they settled, gripping the soft flare of her hips. Hermione smoothed her hands up against the front of his robes feeling the lean muscles beneath her fingers, until her arms were wrapped around his neck and drew his body as close to hers as it could get. Merlin, he tasted even better than she remembered.

She tugged him closer, moaning into his mouth as his tongue did something wicked to hers. There was too much space between them and she writhed against him. His thumbs were caressing her hips in maddening little circles. She pressed her hips against his and with a groan, his hands slipped beneath the hem of her jumper and wrapped around her slim waist and gripped the smooth skin of her back. He heard her breath hitch sweetly as her fingers grasped his neck and felt his craving for her ratchet up another notch.

Hermione's head fell back against the bark of the tree as his lips brushed a spot beneath her ear, his nose tickling the soft lobe, sending a shiver down to her toes. She whimpered as he began to nip and suck on her ear and neck. His hands moved up her ribs and to the gentle curve of the underside of her breast and was stopped by her bra. He hesitated a moment, lips at her collar bone, holding up the front of her green jumper exposing her skin to the cool autumn air and pressing her against a tree. But then she moaned his name, "Severusss…" and rolled her hips against his again. Any hesitation flew away and he tugged down a cup of her bra to expose a rosy peak his greedy mouth.

She groaned loudly, heedless to thoughts of being caught, but no one could hear her anyway. The party was getting quite wild down by the bonfire and no one noticed an absent Hermione or Snape. She gripped his hair as he laved his attention upon her aching breast, and moaned again when he pulled down the cup to it's neglected other half and did the same to it. The things he did with his tongue sent waves of pleasure to her core making her feel heavy and empty. She tugged his head up by his hair and kissed him, aching for him to be somehow closer, to feel his skin against hers. Her hands fluttered down the front of his body to the front of his robes. She fumbled with the buttons as she kissed him distractedly. His hands moved down her front as well, past the soft skin of her stomach to the button and zipper of her jeans. He undid her pants quickly and slid a hand past the elastic of her underwear to the crux of her body. He groaned when he felt how wet she was already and moved his lips back to her neck.

Hermione had barely undone half of the buttons of his long robes revealing a pale, hard chest, but her hands stilled as she felt one of his long fingers slip past the damp curls and between her folds and sweep upward to the aching bundle of nerves. She cried out and could only cling to the open collar of his black robes. Her shoulders leaned heavily against the tree as he removed his hand for a moment to shove her jeans past her hips. In an instant, he had dipped a long finger into her tight heat, his mouth nipping at the point just above her collarbone that had her whimpering earlier. Severus moved his finger in and out of her silky depths and ground his palm into her lit, loving her panting breaths and mewls. Aching, he pushed the length of his hardness against her hip, trying to find some relief. Hermione, slid one hand down to the bulge in his pants, fumbling with the buttons, one hand still clutching his shirt to hold herself up. When she couldn't undo his pants, she settled for caressing him through the fabric. She could feel the heat of him and wanted so badly to touch him, to taste him, but was lost to the sparks of pleasure building within her. When he suddenly added one more digit to his movements and bent to take one of her puckered nipples into his mouth again, she fell apart, her body constricting around his fingers as warmth seemed to consume her and the world spun wildly.

Hermione looked absolutely magnificent when she climaxed. Severus pulled his hands away to grip her hips again and moved to kissed her. She pushed back against his chest. Confused, for a split second he thought she was upset, but the look in her eyes was determined, not angry. "Now, Severus." She bent to unzip her boots and pulled them off, then shimmied out of her jeans and knickers. "I need you, now." He became impossibly harder at her demand. Pulling him back to her by the waist of his pants, she began undoing them with both hands this time. Then, he brought his still wet hand to his mouth and sucked his fingers into his mouth. Her eyes shuttered as she watched him. Severus closed his own eyes briefly, savoring her taste. He'd have to have more of that later. When his cock finally sprang free from it's confines she wrapped her warm fingers around him. He groaned as she worked him back and forth. God's, it had been so long. She nipped his bottom lip with her teeth and flicked it with her tongue, murmuring, "Now, Severus, please."

He angled his hips to accommodate her. Hermione lifted one leg around his waist and used her hand, still on his rigid staff, to guide him to her entrance. When she seemed steady he thrust upwards. They both groaned when he sunk slowly and fully into her wet heat, her body fluttering around him tightly. His forehead fell forward into her sweet smelling hair and he laid a kiss upon her head. Her breaths were coming in hard pants, eyes closed and mouth fallen open. She was naked from the waist down, standing on one tip toe, the other leg locked about him, her arms holding on tightly to his shoulders. Severus hitched her other leg around him and pinned Hermione against the tree. He felt the silken slide of her along his shaft and he plunged forward, unable to stop his movements. Hermione was in heaven. He was driving hard in and out of her as she held onto his tightly tensed body, the sweet friction building inside her again. Every thrust produced little mewling cries from her sweet lips and brought her closer to the edge of the precipice. Severus had to taste those cries on his mouth and captured her lips in his, tongues tangling frantically. The change in angle caused his length to drag against the hottest point of her body at the next thrust and she saw stars explode behind her eyelids. She threw her head back, crying out his name to the night sky as she trembled, shuddering again and again as pleasure coursed through her. Severus continued to piston into her dripping, clenching tunnel until he felt her body squeeze around him again, almost unbearably. At her third climax, the tightness in his own body released in white hot spurts of pleasure and he groaned, long and hard, as the last tremors racked his body.

Severus's knees nearly gave way and Hermione immediately released him from her hold. Breathing hard and sighing she rested against the tree- the fabulously sturdy little tree. His own breaths were labored and his hands were above her ears, leaning against the trunk. His expression looked pained, so she leaned forward and kissed his sweaty neck and tense jaw and then kissed the thin set of his lips, saying between kisses, "That was perfect. You're absolutely wonderful. Please don't say you regret it."

He groaned. Possibly her new favorite sound in the world. "Hermione."

"Yes?" she leaned her head against his bare chest and he gathered her up in his arms.

"I just shagged you against a tree." He said it like it was a bad thing.

"Mmm… I know, Severus. I was there. I loved it every minute of it."

"You don't regret it?" the uncertainty in his voice was as endearingly out of character as it was irritating. She shoved against his chest, this time, actually a bit angry. Hermione glared at him.

"Severus Snape, do you honestly think that I would do something like this without thoroughly thinking through all possible outcomes? If I had come to the conclusion at any point that you or I might live to regret it, we wouldn't be here." She huffed, and began picking up her clothes and placing them back on, trying to determine in the darkness whether or not her knickers were inside out, mumbling under her breath about idiot men ruining afterglows. Severus tidied himself up and watched as she struggled to put one of her boots on the wrong foot, hopping around on the crunchy leaves. She was about to stalk back toward the bonfire when he caught her hand in his.

"I'm sorry," he grumbled. "I'm not-"

BANG! BANG! BOOOM!

There were bright flashes and sparks coming from somewhere. Earsplitting explosions filled the night and Hermione abruptly found herself, face down in the leaves, covered with a rather tall, rather heavy man. When all was silent, Severus stood up, pulling Hermione with him, both their gazes heads turned toward the bonfire. People were stumbling around, still stunned by the sheer noise. Without a word being passed between them, they both ran toward the sources of the explosion. Harry, Ron, Fred, George, Lee, and Draco were sprawled haphazardly on the ground, giggling like little girls. The smell of burnt hair was starting to waft on the breeze when she found the straw Voldemort effigy, complete with red fire cracker eyes, split open in the middle, still smoldering slightly from the stash of fireworks that the boys had drunkenly thought to pack into him before throwing him in the bonfire. Thankfully, it seemed that one of the fireworks had propelled the big doll out of the fire, preventing most of the fireworks from going off next to the guess. Just to be safe, Hermione doused the thing with water spouted from her wand. Molly was already yelling at her boys, Ginny was yelling at Harry, and McGonnagal was lecturing everyone else who had helped with the effigy sabotage. The guests at the tables were laughing it off as another night to remember and took the explosion as the cue to make their goodbyes. Molly sweetly thanked everyone who came before continuing to rail at all of the boys involved. She whipped out her wand and cast a powerful spell that sent them marching back to the Burrow to be patched up with the sensation of very hard, pointy boots kicking them in their rears.

Soon, besides Severus and Hermione, the only people left in the field were Arthur, Ginny, and Luna who had all stayed behind as clean up volunteers. It was a quick cleaning. The left overs were floated down the trail into the kitchen and the slightly scorched picnic tables cleared and ready to be sent back to Bill and Fleur's in the morning. Scattered cups and trash were banished to a muggle dumpsite many miles away and when the Wizarding Wireless was shut off, Arthur, Luna, and Ginny began to quietly make their ways back home, leaving Severus or Hermione to extinguish the low burning bonfire. Ginny paused at the entrance to the field. She looked back and watched Hermione sit heavily upon the log still by the fire and saw Snape following her friend's movements. Ginny smiled, wondering if Hermione would spill the details over a treacle tart ala mode later, and turned to follow her dad out of the field.

Hermione wasn't quite sure what to feel at the moment. Her friends had just done something completely idiotic and had gotten injured… again. She just had the best sex of her admittedly inexperienced life with the man she'd been craving for the past three months. And she thought that maybe, she just might be falling in love with that self same man - who might not want her like she assumed. Honestly, who can shag like that and be unsure afterward?

Severus stood in front of her, blocking the view to the fire. She didn't say anything only looked up at him. His curtain of black hair, his shield from the world, fell in front of his eyes. "I'm sorry, Hermione. I don't regret anything," he spoke firmly and sincerely. "I only wanted…" He hesitated struggling to find the right words. "It's just not… I had hoped…"

It was her turn to raise a brow at him.

"Damnit, Hermione, I wanted to do this the right way!" he suddenly burst forth. Severus began pacing back and forth before the fire, his long legs eating up the distances. "You have done- You have been- You saved me!" he accused. "You deserve more than a quick fuck against a tree. You deserve better than… than… _this,"_he gestured to himself wildly. "I wanted to do this the right way!" he repeated to the autumn air. He suddenly stopped pacing and turned to face Hermione who was now watching him with wide eyes.

Severus sat beside her on the log and took her hands in his and said with feeling, "I wanted to thank you for saving me that day. I wanted to thank you for being the friend I needed afterward. I wanted to say that you are beautiful and that you are everything a witch ought to be. I wanted to tell you that I've thought about you constantly for the past three months. I wanted to ask… if you would let me court you… properly." He gazed down at her shining bright eyes, holding his breath.

She let the breath she was holding out and suddenly laughed. "Yes! Yes, Severus. And I don't care that we went a bit backward with the traditional courtship. I'm actually very glad you didn't go about it the proper way," she smiled slyly.

He smiled, releasing his breath, and wrapped an arm about her waist as she continued to look up at him. "I'm not an easy man to get along with, Hermione," he said. "I can be quite cruel even if the occasion doesn't warrant it, though I will try not be with you. You know more than most just how much," he sneered, "baggage, I carry."

"I know, Severus. And I'm still not running away. I'm very stubborn. Fair warning, when I want something I generally find a way to get it and when I'm right, I'm right," she shared seriously.

"Then, we shall probably run into many problems in this relationship, because I am told that I am very stubborn as well." Severus murmured. "We will surely row."

She grinned as a thought occurred to her. "Think of all the incredible make up sex we can have!"

He laughed and pulled her in to kiss her soundly. When he released her, the stars above were twirling and the world was muzzy again so she leaned her head against his shoulder. He gathered her closer and at that moment, quite unawares, by the dwindling fire, surrounded by scorched earth and smoke stained picnic tables, Hermione and Severus had the exact same thought: '_I've never been happier in my life.'_

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AN: Ahhh… Autumn Air COMPLETE! ^_^

Winter's next though I think I'll work on Cooks in the kitchen for a bit.

Tell me what you think. That was truly my first sex scene ever written. I've worked all day on this and hope you enjoyed it. Please review! It really makes my day ^_^

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EDIT: Thanks for the love and reviews! I can't believe that this little fic has over 17,000 hits even for a 3 chapter story! WOW. You guys like your smut, eh? ^_~

For those of you who have not read it, I figured I ought to add the links to Summer Heat and Winter Wonderland. The order is as follows: Summer, Autumn, Winter, Spring. Whee! I still love to hear what you think and constructive criticism is always welcome... (tries and fails to create a link to fanfic)

and I guess HTML doesn't work so... just remove the spaces::

http : / / www. fanfiction .net /s/ 6685048 /1/ Summer_Heat

http : / / www. fanfiction .net /s/ 6755437 /1/ Winter_Wonderland

Or save yourself the trouble and just click on my profile (well, now I just feel silly.)

~lovelielove


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